Star Wars Episode VIII: Return of the Sith
by ArtistsChild93
Summary: Two years after Opie left the alliance, the empire has risen again. Now it is up to her and the Jedi order to take down the reborn Emperor. After getting in a terrible crash, Opie's abilities are excellerated. Does a recurring dream hold the answer? Can she defeat the Emperor? Can their new ally, former Sith apprentice Ayris, be trusted? Please R&R.
1. A Change in the Tide

A Long time ago in a Galaxy Far away…

STAR WARS: Episode VIII The Return of the Sith

Two years since the discovery of a third Palpatine clone, the rebellion and the Jedi order have been thrown into chaos. As the Imperial fleet once again grows, the fate of the galaxy has been put into the hands of the small rebel band and their Jedi allies.

Leading a small band of rebel pilots, twenty year old Opie Skywalker heads the most critical portion of the rebel-Jedi alliance in their fight against this new Empire. Only she holds the power to destroy the reborn emperor and bring order back to the galaxy.

But will the young Jedi have the ability to fight off the temptations before her? Or will she succumb to the ministrations of the Dark Side as her grandfather did. Either way, the fate of the galaxy and the Jedi order rests with the eldest grandchild of Anakin Skywalker….

Opie Skywalker gritted her teeth as she shot down another of the endless supply of TIEs. Another life uselessly thrown away, she mused. There was nothing she hated more in this whole universe than killing, but ever since the reborn Emperor had returned, Imperial power had been growing. And now, once again, the new Republic had become the rebel alliance. She had no choice Opie was desperately needed in the fight against the empire. It was true that Opie was young for a commander. The alliance leaders could easily have chosen a more experienced pilot, or leader to command the Rogues, but for some reason, fate had chosen her to be a leader just like her father. But so far, she had felt as though she was failing them, especially today.

She'd lost three pilots to the endless supply of TIE fighters. In every battle, the small squadrons that made up the rebellion's defense hardly made a dent in the rising numbers, and lost more than they could afford. Out of the fourteen pilots that had been chosen two years ago to serve with Opie, only five of them where left alive. Green pilots didn't last long in battle, she reflected. Yes, two years had hardened the girl, and forced her to grow up far faster than she ever should have.

Her father had been right, after she had started living on her own and commanding the rogues, her training had gotten much, much harder. She hadn't seen her family in the two years since; she'd never met her baby sister and had only been able to hold short conversations with them over the holonet. Yavin was on a battle front of its own and her brother, her parents, and the rest of the academy had to fight hard to keep the imperials in check.

Opie was desperate to get home, and had been for the last five months. The Jedi order needed her now, and she had no way to get to them with out abandoning her comrades and leaving them to the imps. But now things had changed, the alliance had seen the need to help protect the Jedi order, and defense had shifted nearer to Yavin. Hopefully, in the next few days, things would settle down and she could take her leave and rejoin with her family to help defend the Jedi Temple.

Ayris sighed and slumped forward in the pilot's chair. The past two years hadn't been kind to her, physically or mentally.

The young sith had been on the run ever since she had tried to betray her former master. And now that the Emperor was back in power, safe places were harder and harder to find. Yes these two years had burnt out her fervor for the way of the Sith, and there was only one place she could possibly find sanctuary: the Jedi temple.

She groaned again and rubbed ruefully at her temples. She hadn't been able to get sleep in several days because of perusing imperials, not to mention several bounty hunters, eager to collect the rising price on her head.

"Shadowbat to Yavin, Shadowbat to Yavin." A young woman who looked as though she wasn't even in her twenties flickered on to the screen, she looked tired, as though she hadn't slept in days. "Look, I know you probably don't want to talk with me after what I did to Skywalker two years ago, but you're my only option left. I have nowhere else to hide."

It was Ben who first who heard the Sith lady over the intercom and looked over. "Ayris?" he looked utterly confused. The woman looked exhausted, her features pale, purple circles under her eyes, and her auburn hair was utterly bedraggled. "You look awful."

"Boy you're cordial." She dryly responded, "Tell me, is there someone around to give me clearance to land? I'm in a bit of a fix."

"I'll see what I can do," the seventeen year old smirked, "You're lucky my sister isn't around, she might tear you to shreds."

"Oh?" she questioned, "where is Skywalker."

"With the alliance." He said, "Anyway, I'll have to go see if we can let you in."

"Dad?" Ben knocked on his father's study again, "Dad you in there?"

The door slid open to reveal a very tired looking Luke Skywalker. "What is it Ben?" he asked with a yawn.

"You're not gonna believe who's on the intercom."

"Yavin to Shadowbat, Yavin to Shadowbat." Ayris smirked.

"I'd know that voice anywhere," she flicked on the viewing screen and winced at the older Skywalkers appearance, "yeesh! And I thought I looked bad! Look, I need somewhere to stay, I know I was pretty rotten to your kid two years ago but times have changed. I have nowhere else to go, if I go to the Emperor he'll have me killed, and the rebels aren't too happy with me either."

Luke sighed, he rembered the last time he'd seen this girl, she had been standing over his eldest when she had pinned her down with a vibroblade. But something in the way she looked and behaved told him that two years of exile had changed her. She looked physically and emotionally drained. "All right," he sighed, "you have permission to land, but I won't forget what happened last time you were here. I'm warning you, please don't try anything."

"Wow, you act as though you don't trust me!" she smirked, "eh, don't worry; I'm too tired to try anything. I haven't slept in a week. Thank you for letting me stay."

"Stay focused boys," Opie said in a clear crisp voice through her helmet com, "this one's a big one, but if we live through this, we're likely to live through a whole lot worse."

"A big one Blondie?" Ace retorted over the speaker, "more like _the_ big one!"

"That's Commander Blondie to you," she snapped, "Jagged."

"Hey," he said, "I only get my real name when I'm in trouble!"

Opie snorted derisively "And who's to say you aren't."

"Hate to break up your lovely discussion," said Rogue five, Maura Jansen shouted, "We've got bigger problems."

The young commander groaned, "Oh great! Just what we needed: a star destroyer! Alright Rogues I think the best thing we can do in this situation is to jet!"

"You sure?" Ace asked

"Well unless you really want to get vaped." Said Opie, "which believe me, I don't suggest."

"I'm hit!" Opie shouted, engine afire, "Ace get the others outta here, I'm gonna have to make a crash landing."

"Alright Boss!" he said, "take care of yourself, that planet doesn't look so inhabited." Then he was gone.

The Opal Sun was rushing to meet the ground, its pilot unable to control its speed. With a skittering crash the ship hit and skidded along the ground, and Opie lost her senses as it slammed into a tree.

"Luke did you see that?" Ivy said, pointing in the direction of the crash.

Luke nodded, "I hope they're okay," he said, getting up, "come on, we better go see if there's anything we can do."

"I agree!"

When they arrived at the crash site, they found a young female pilot sagging sideways in her seat utterly unconscious. "Is she alive?"

Luke pulled the flight glove off of her left hand to take a pulse, it was faint. "Yes, she's alive, but it looks like she got a nasty knock on the head." He gently removed the flight helmet and caught his breath. She looked just like him, right down to the dimple in the chin.

Ivy noticed the shock on her friend's face, "Something wrong Luke." She looked on the young woman, "Holy Force! She looks just like you!"

Skywalker gently gathered the small form in his arms.

"You sure you should do that Luke?" Ivy followed after him looking concerned "I mean she might have a back injury.

"I don't think she does, most of the damage appears to be just in the front, and the seat ends above her head."

"True, but they said in first aid—"

"I'm not just gonna leave her there." He seemed almost protective to this unconscious newcomer, "Anyway," he said, noting the rebel insignia sewn to her orange flight suit, "she's with the rebellion."

"How do you know she's not a spy?" she asked.

"I don't." he replied, "and I don't care Ivy, she's hurt."

"Found something have you?" Yoda asked, noting the limp form in Luke's arms.

Luke nodded, "She's alive, but she took a bad knock to the head."

Yoda nodded at the young Jedi in training, "Take her inside you must, herbs I shall get to tend to her wounds."

Opie awoke to someone prodding her with a stick. She groaned and tried to shade her eyes with her hand, the nudging was persistent.

"Wake up you must," the owner of the stick said, "Not polite to crash in my garden it is, nearly scared my Paduwans to death you did!"

Opie winced as she touched a sizable lump on the back of her head, "Sorry." Her voice was hoarse and scratchy, "Just where am I?"

"In my house you are." Yoda replied, "Sent out your father and mother I have, not good for them to know that their child you are."

"She's waking up!" a familiar voice said.

"Oh thank the force," it was her father's voice, "When we saw her crash we feared the worst."

Opie's eyes fluttered open, there were three people standing over her, "Daddy?"

He smiled at her, "Thank goodness you're all right Opie! You had a nasty crash."

"It's lucky you inherited your father's hard head," her mother smiled.

"How long have I been out?" she asked, rubbing at her temple. "I had this strange dream while I was out."

"You've been in a coma for almost a month." Cingal, the healer at the Jedi academy said kindly.

"Well I had a weird dream," she rubbed at her forehead, "It's not the first time, but I had a dream that I crash-landed in Yoda's garden, and I ended up finishing my training with him and fighting with you and Mom in the rebellion. I must have conked myself harder than I thought. Was I really out for that long?"

"Yes, we've been worried sick about you." Ivy said to her eldest, "what caused the crash."

"I-I can't remember at all," she replied, "The last thing I remember is reporting back from my last mission, which had gone fine, then nothing."

"Blondie!" a voice shouted. She turned too see a tired-looking Ace Antilles in the door, "you're okay." He rushed forward to pull her into an embrace. "I could kiss you."

Opie raised an eyebrow.

"But I won't." he grinned, "thank gods you're alive!"

"Why shouldn't I be?"

"You got hit and had to crash land," he said, "you told me to leave you alone, but I didn't and I stayed with you till they were able to get you into the medicenter. That hit you took would've killed anyone else."

"I don't remember any of it." She said, furrowing her brow. "Not a damn thing, the last thing I remember was reporting on our last mission."

"Opie that was three days before," Ace sounded concerned, "You definatly took a hard hit. Any harder and you'd be dead."

"That's comforting," Opie snorted dryly. "Listen, can I have a little privacy with my parents, Ace, Cingal." The pair nodded and left the room.

"What is it Opie?"

**Hello again, I'm terribly sorry I took so long to get this done, I couldn't think of anything to start this episode off. I tried one idea, but I hated it, so I tried this, didn't like part of it either, so I took a break from that, but none of my new material really worked, I was well and truly stuck. Then I revised what I didn't like in this piece and now I like it. Again, I'm terribly sorry I took so long to put the first chapter up, I hope the rest of this will come much easier.**


	2. Explaining the Dream

**Hey there, I know I usually put my commentary at the end of the story, but I know I've been late on getting this up. I'm terribly sorry, I was a lot busier than I anticipated, and I was gone for three weeks and I didn't take my laptop with me because I didn't feel like dealing with its emotional constipation while I was away. Anyway, sorry this is a little short…I had a party to go to today, I'm possibly going fishing tomorrow, and I'm planning on having a movie marathon with a friend. But it's been nuts, I went to my cousins ballet recital, did a church rummage sale and a car wash, turned twenty last Sunday, stayed at my mom's house to help her take care of her dogs, went to a movie, and a bridal shower… All in the same three weeks. And it's not gonna calm down for a while. I'm going to most likely be gone for the second week in July for missions trip (barring anything unforeseen). So unfortunately…it may be until the third week in July before I can post the next chapter. Also when I make a reference to Hoth, I'm not referring to the kiss in the movies, but the near kiss in my fanfic... Please read and review.**

"What is it?" Luke asked.

Opie rubbed her temple again, "The dream I was telling you about, that's not the first time I've had that dream, I've had it multiple times. It usually takes place when I'm either particularly tired, or I hurt myself."

He nodded, "Go on."

"Every time, I fall asleep in one place and then wake up in your old master Yoda's house to him prodding me with a stick, then I find out that I've had a crash and the Sun is in pretty bad shape, but Yoda suggests that I should train while I'm working on my ship. And while I'm there, since I'm light years ahead of you and Mom at that time, I complete my training. I'm sorry; this isn't too much at a time is it?"

Ivy reached out for her daughter's hand, "No of course not."

"Okay," she said, putting her hands behind her head and shutting her eyes so as to concentrate better on her dream world, "So I follow you and Dad to Bespin after the vision and somehow end up running into Jaina, Jacen, and Ben, who were apparently with Uncle Han and Aunt Leia and help them escape to the Falcon. And we all have quite a time getting away. But anyway, once we escape, I end up helping out with Dad after he had his hand chopped off, and I remember trying to reassure him by telling him about how I lost my hand two years ago."

"And what about the secret?" her mother questioned, "where you there for that?"

"No, I left you two alone for that," she replied, "As I already knew it and I felt you needed some privacy…." She paused for a few moments trying to remember, "Oh yeah, then when we get to Home One, I find out that all the new rogues are there too, and they're calling themselves Icarus squadron, you know after the guy who flew into the sun?"

"Yes?"

"I think the way Ace explained it in my dream was that the majority of our squadron are half Earthlian. Obviously, Alice and I are half Earthlian half tatooinian. Ace is half Earlthlian and half Corellian, and Maura is half Earthlian half Tanaabian. Anyways, Dad gets his new hand and we start planning on how to rescue Uncle Han from Jabba the Hutt. Obviously your side of the plan stays the same, but me, Ace, Jaina, Jacen, and Ben decide to pose as a group of gypsy performers who travel the galaxy. And I pretend to be the Gypsy Queen. Well anyway, we do a few performances, and I forget what I did to make Jabba so mad. Oh yeah, he wanted to force us to stay and work for him, but I refused, so he tried to feed me to the rancor along with Dad. And I tried this really stupid idea: I jumped onto its back and shoved my slipper up its nose."

Ivy laughed at this, "Like in Harry Potter?"

"Yeah!" she said, "And Dad threw a rock at it to distract it so I could get off, and Jabba was absolutely pissed off. He was so mad that he tried to strangle you Mom. And he ordered us to be executed by being fed to the Sarlacc, but we managed to escape, while kicking ass. I was using my lightsabers like I never thought I could. Oh! And you should've seen Ben's lightsaber it was like a saber staff, but it only had the saber at one end. And boy could he fight with it! So we got out of there and we ended up joining the strike team on Endor."

Both her parents nodded.

"Okay, but this part was different than usual. All the other times Ace convinces me to stay, but this time around, I go with Dad and fight the Emperor. And by the very smallest margin kicks my ass and tries to turn me to the dark side, but I say I would rather die, and he tries to kill me. Sith that was awful! I don't ever think I'll be able to forget the feeling of Force lightning."

Luke winced sympathetically.

"I think I must have blacked out for a minute because you were standing over me trying to wake me up, and grandpa was lying on the floor struggling to breathe." She said, "I think he must have saved me instead of you, but he was still dying. I remember you asked if I could get up because we needed to get outta here and I said I could, so I helped you carry Grandpa to an imperial shuttle. And he knew who I was, when you took off his helmet, he smiled at me in a knowing way, and told me I looked just like my father. Then he told you to tell Aunt Leia that you were right about him, and then he died. I've never seen you distraught like that Dad, it took everything I had to get you outta there." Opie paused thoughtfully, "I never realized he was that bad off before."

"He gave his life for me." Luke said.

"I know." Opie said, "You told me once."

"So what happened next?"

Opie glanced up towards the new voice, "Ben? Where have you been?" She noticed he was carrying a small child in his arms. "Is that?"

"This is Cassie," he confirmed. The two year old looked shyly at her older sister and tried to hide her face. "She's a bit shy. I stepped out for a few minutes to check on a friend of mine. You're not gonna believe this, but Ayris arrived here shortly before your crash."

"Ayris?" Opie tried to sit up further, but her head started to pound, "What the Sith hell is she doing here?"

Ben smirked, "I knew you'd be pleased, but please be nice. She doesn't have anywhere else to go."

"Sure," Opie mumbled, "right. I'm supposed to be nice to the person who chopped my hand off."

"Opie she's changed," her father said, "believe me, I've seen the girl, she isn't a sith anymore."

"I'll believe that when I see it." Snorted Opie.

"Look." Ayris said, kicking a stone with her boot, "I know what I did, and I don't expect your forgiveness. I most certainly don't deserve it. But right now I have no choice but to stay here. And just for the record, I don't like you either Skywalker."

"Good," Opie snipped, "because the feelings mutual. So, here's the deal: you stay out of my way and I'll stay out of yours."

The two young women shook hands briefly to cement the agreement and went in opposite directions."

"That went well." Anakin, the youngest of the Solo children said to his cousin Ben.

Ben chuckled, "Well it's better than I was expecting. She's changed, hasn't she Ani?"

"I think so." He answered with a laugh, "At least she's still as grumpy as usual. You like her don't you?"

"My sister?" the seventeen year old rumpled his nose, "are you suggesting something vaguely Hoth related?"

Anakin, who had just taken a sip of his water bottle accidentally snorted it out of his nose. "No, no not your sister you dope!" he managed when he was finally able to stop coughing.

Ben held up his hands and shook his curly head violently, "No! No! No! We're just friends!"

"Just friends huh," Jacen, who had overheard the young Jedi's conversation, said grabbing Ben in a headlock and ruffling his hair. "The way you look at that chick, I'm _sure_ you're just friends."

Ben gave the elder boy a shove, "Will you knock it off Jacen! You're messing up my hair!"

"Hey look!" Jaina teased good-naturedly, "I think you got a little farmboy outta him."

It was at that moment that Opie walked over. "Well what are you guys talking about?" she questioned raising an eyebrow. "And what's with the purple hair Jaina?"

"Oh!" Jaina laughed, "Do you like it?"

"Uh sure," she replied, "It was just kind of a shock."

Jacen put an arm around his cousin's shoulder, "You shoulda seen Mom's reaction…she was furious!"

"I bet," Opie chuckled, "But when did you last see your mom. Aren't your parents in Corusaunt?"

"Nah," Jaina said, "they came here a couple months ago to escape the empire. And they brought Threepio."

Opie groaned, "Oh no you're not serious! Couldn't they have just let the Empire blow him up or something?"


	3. The Arena

"There! You've almost got it." Ben smiled encouragingly at Ayris before taking her small hand in his and bending her left hand, which held a small flat stone, at the wrist. "See, it's all in the wrist."

"Let's face it, Skywalker. I am never going to get this!" she cried, throwing down the stone.

"You won't if you don't try." He answered, taking her hand, "Come on, and give it a try."

Ayris turned around and glared at him, resentment in her grey eyes, "Why do you care? It's just a rock and that's just a pond. Just like millions of other ponds in the galaxy! I don't need to know how to skip stones! And I don't need your help."

Ben sighed, "I don't know why I care okay? I don't know. All I know is that you're my friend and I want you to be happy. If you just gave it a chance…" he shook his head, rejecting the idea, "Oh what do I know? I guess I was just stupid to think that you wanted a friend."

"I don't deserve any friends." She whispered, "After what I've done. I don't deserve anyone."

He looked at her, "And I don't care. You need someone, and I wanna be that someone!"

"Why are you so good to me?"

Ben ran a hand through his curly hair, "Because I care." The young Skywalker looked away, "I care about you, your well-being. Believe me it wasn't my intention to become your friend…It just happened."

Ayris was busy examining her boots, "I'm glad you did. You're the best friend I could ever ask for." She felt Ben pull her into a hug. Nobody had ever hugged her before.

Laughter carried from the outside edge of the forest. Two young Jedi, a blonde and two brunettes were casually enjoying themselves around a campfire.

"So then I said get your hands off of my sister or I'll chop them off!" Jacen's story was met with appreciative laughter, "And you know what? This moron actually believed me!"

"There was this one time," Opie said between chuckles, "that I heard Ace bad mouthing me to someone else, and so I came up behind him. You shoulda seen the look on Tarkin's face." She demonstrated the astonished expression, "he looked like he was catching flies. It was really hard trying not to laugh. And then I said, Antilles! You can gossip on your free time. And he looked horrified!"

The other two howled with laughter, "Hey Opie, remember when we planted the stink bomb in the cafeteria?"

The young Jedi let out a shout of laughter, "That was hilarious! My dad was sooo embarrassed. Remember when we put dry ice in all the public toilets and smoked everyone out?"

"Hah!" Jaina grinned, "That was great! And the time we flooded the courtyard."

"Force! I was grounded for like the rest of the year for that."

"And we had kitchen duty for the rest of the year." Snorted Jacen. "You wanna pull another one?"

"No," answered Opie, "I am now valuable alliance property. And we're twenty now. We're too old to get involved in any shenanigans."

The three young Jedi lay sleeping next to the dying campfire. It was late at night and the trio had fallen to sleep hours ago.

They didn't notice the dark figures creeping towards them until they pounced.

Opie felt something being clapped over her nose and mouth. She bridled and jerked, trying to break free from the powerful grip, but then the drug took effect and darkness took her…

She awoke bound and gagged in a dark room. After several minutes, in which she laid still trying to reorient herself, she began to struggle against the bonds. It was no use, her hands and feet were fastened too tightly. Then she heard the familiar voice in her head.

_Opie where are you? _It had been two years since she'd heard that voice in hear head.

She groaned underneath the gag, _Ben? Did they get you too? What happened?_

_I don't know._ He whispered in her head _I don't know what happened to Ayris either. Do you know what happened to the others?_

_Ayris!_ Opie growled, _I knew she couldn't be trusted!_

Ben seemed to be tossing something around in his head, but then seemed to change his mind, _do you know where the others are? Did they just take us?_

_I don't know._

Ayris froze, recognizing a familiar figure. She bent to one knee, "Master, why have you brought me here?"

"To bring you home of course my dear." The old man said with a smile that was supposed to be kindly.

"But master," she responded carefully, "this isn't my home anymore. You chased me all over the galaxy. Why would I want to come back here."

"A father will do anything for his daughter."

"You are not my father." The former sith jeered.

Palpatine smiled wickedly, "Oh but I am in all but blood and you will obey me."

"I will not!" her voice came out in a snarl, "I have stayed with the Jedi, they were kind to me!"

"They wanted you to join them." He ridiculed. "Skywalker and his order were only kind to you to bring them to your side."

Ayris glowered at him, "So what?! At least they were kind to me. You never even cared!"

"Oh but I do care," he said, "the ones who fetched me were only my lackeys my child. You are my only apprentice."

"Hah!" she laughed humorlessly, "Just like Mara Jade was your only hand? Trust me _Master_, I've done my homework. I don't wanna be a Sith anymore."

"Then what are you going to be?" he cackled angrily, "become a Jedi?"

"Maybe I will."

"Come to me my servants." Three dark clad figures appeared from the shadow.

One of the three answered in a smooth silky voice. "Yes my master?"

Palpatine acknowledged the trio's presence, "take this rebel and put her with the others, prepare the Arena. Young Skywalker _will_ be one of us…

**Jedi Temple**

"Master Skywalker," the young apprentice entered the office chambers looking harried, "We checked the campsite, Commander Skywalker and the Solo twins were nowhere in sight. But we found signs of a struggle, scuffs on the ground from a pair of boots, and drag marks."

"Did they lead anywhere?"

"Yes, it appears as though they were dragged into a ship, there were prints from the landing gear."

The young prisoners jumped aside as their guards threw someone in.

Ayris found herself spitting dirt, "Puh! Nice to see everyone again. So they finally untied you."

"You were behind this!" Opie grimaced, "You set us up didn't you?"

She frowned at her, "No matter what you believe, Skywalker I did nothing of the sort. I'm just as surprised as you are to be here, and I had no idea my old master wanted me this badly."

"Are you alright," Ben inquired with some concern.

"Fine."

"Do you know what's gonna happen?"

"I don't know, but it can't be good…"

"My Lord, the prisoners have received their weapons." His lead apprentice said with a bow.

"Good, then prepare our 'guests' for their ultimate demise."

**Below**

"Ben!" Opie began to kick and scream as their guards tried to separate them, "Let go of me. Let go!"

"Come on Jedi, time for your moment on stage." Opie continued to struggle, and Ben and Jacen had to be separated from the others by six people. The eldest Skywalker had to be held back by ten as she fought savagely.

Eventually, through sheer numbers, they managed to roper her hands behind her back, and forced her head down to prevent any further resistance…

"And now!" the announcer shouted through the microphone, "For his majesty, the Emperor Palpatine's grand entertainment. We present: one Jedi, Ten rancor.

"TEN?!"

**And we will see what happens in the next episode…BWAHAHA! Sorry this took so long…I've been having computer issues, and I've been very busy for like the past month. I really hope I can get more up soon…things are calming down a little (I hope, but I probably just jinxed myself. I hope you enjoy, please R & R!**


	4. Chaos

"One Jedi, ten rancor." The voice announced.

"TEN?" Opie's jaw dropped open. _I am going to die!_ Her bright eyes darted back and forth trying to find a means of escape. She was quick to find a hole and slid underneath the circular platform. "Dammit!" she swore fluently in at least five different languages, finding no foothold on the smooth metal pole. Nor did she know how far she had to drop.

Yet unfortunately she didn't even see the platform getting closer to the opening at the top of the arena. Suddenly she felt an agonizing pain in her right artificial hand as it was crushed and trapped between the platform and opening. She screamed, and her screams and curses echoed down to the others in their separate prisons.

Ben began to struggle viciously with his captors, "Opie!" His angry screams set the others off, as they too began to fight.

They were quickly subdued, all except for Ayris, who had managed to get ahold of her crimson lightsaber and was swinging it madly.

Skywalker clenched her jaw, thinking privately that it had hurt a lot less when she had actually lost the original hand. Thinking of that traumatic moment gave Opie an inspiration, a painful one. But the only one that would work.

"My children," Palpatine watched his three young servants materialize from the shadows.

"Yes my master," the Strongest stepped forward.

"See what's going on with Skywalker's brat."

Opie ignited her lightsaber, preparing herself against the pain. Then she swung the yellow blade in an arch, cutting herself free from the trapped hand. As she plummeted, she drew on the force to slow her decent, landing softly on the ground fifty feet below.

By this time, Ben had managed to break free, and tore through the honeycomb of passages, sensing his sister's distress.

The Strongest held up the severed and broken artificial hand. "Master, this is all I could find."

"Sound the alarm, the Jedi Skywalker has escaped."

Ayris cut a hole through the wall of her prison, having driven off her guards, and force pushed it outward. It slammed into the opposite wall with a resounding bang.

"What was that for?" She found herself face-to-face with Ben.

"Sorry."

Opie squeezed through the broken blast doors in an attempt to escape from the cylindrical room, trying to ignore the dull throbbing in her right arm.

"Secure the Jedi!" Palpatine screeched, snatching the announcer's microphone. "Anyone who fails at this will feel my wrath!" An explosion left of center interrupted him as three X-Wings dropped from the clouds guns blazing. As pandemonium raged above, chaos erupted below.

Ben and Ayris were back to back in a small corridor surrounded by stormtroopers. Three feet away, Opie was holding her own against the white-clad soldiers, despite a missing right hand she fought like a true champion.

_Opie are you all right?_ Luke sent his daughter through his bond. Above, he, Ace, and Ivy were causing panic amongst the crowd. Getting closer to coming in for a landing.

_I've been better_ came the terse reply _I think we're all gonna need a medicenter after this one!_

Ben waded over to his sister's side, Ayris following close behind, deflecting any trooper that got in their way. To the left of them, Jaina and Jacen were twin whirlwinds; no match for the empire's finest. And while Opie was holding her own, it was clear that shock and fatigue were getting to her.

"Take a break," Ben said, pulling his elder sister aside and attacking the stormtroopers with renewed fury. On the other side of her Ayris did the same. Skywalker shot her brother a grateful look.

Palpatine screamed as Ace dive-bombed him, dead set on taking down the empire single-handedly.

"Ace stay out of this!" Luke shouted, "you're going to get yourself killed!"

Underground, the Emperor's guards were fleeing the wrath of the five young Jedi and their lightsabers.

_Dad we're gonna try and make it to the top of the arena can you keep whatever's up their off our backs?_

_Of course, we'll do our best._

"Ben, where's the nearest platform, we need to get to the top of the arena." Opie growled.

Ben nodded sharply, "I'll see what I can do."

"Skywalker," Ayris looked pointedly at the burly boy, "I've got an idea."

Ben turned to look at her, "What is—Aah!" he cried out when a blaster bolt hit him in the arm.

"Head towards the platform in my room," she took down another trooper, "I'll follow you."

"Ayris that's crazy!"

"Just do it!"

Ben grabbed her by the back of her cape, "No! If we get out, we get out together. Now come on!" he shoved her in the direction of escape.

"Let's get outta here!"

"I second that!"

"Ben Skywalker! You get your butt in here!"

Ace settled his X wing into the center of the now empty arena, powering down the thrusters. The cockpit opened and he prepared to remove his helmet.

The other older models settled in behind them, and both Luke and Ivy leapt from their cockpits.

"I hope they're all right."

"Are you kiddin'?" Ace laughed, "Blondie can kick butt even without a lightsaber. And she's one hell of a shot."

"I know." Ivy smirked dangerously, "she is my daughter after all, but there are four Skywalkers down there. And Skywalkers as you probably know are very accident prone."

Ayris yanked the lever to control the platform. They all five lurched as it began to rocket upward, "going up!"

"Alright everyone," Opie was quick to take command; "There may be something out there so get ready."

The lift came to a halt, and they found themselves in the dusty empty arena. Not a rancor in sight.

"Lying creep!" growled Skywalker. "I knew there were no rancor."

"Opie!" she turned to see her parents and Antilles running towards her. "Are you all right?"

She held up what had been left of her right arm, "I've seen better days, but it was the only way to escape. I got my hand caught in between the platform and the opening trying to find a way back down to the dungeon, hurt like hell too."

"You shouldn't be standing."

"Ace, I'm fi-"Opie swayed on the spot as her vision blurred, "Woa where did that come from?"

Ben caught his sister as she started to fall. "All right Opie," he said in a concerned voice, "you've done enough." He went to pick her up but winced as pain shot through his injured arm.

"You're wounded Skywalker." The former Sith stated in a concerned voice.

He rubbed his left arm with his right, "Just a scratch, blaster bolt got my arm, I forgot about it."

"How exactly do you forget something like that?" Jacen asked.

"I don't know," Ben sarcastically replied, "maybe because we were just in a big battle."

"Yeh, maybe."

But Ace was already at his injured friend's side, "Blondie, you okay."

"I dunno, I feel so dizzy." Her blinking had slowed, and she looked a bit unfocused.

Ace bent over and scooped her up without even a protest. "C'mere Blondie, You're in shock."

"Am I?" She said drowsily. "I feel so…tired."

He couldn't help but smile, this had to be the first time he'd ever seen her vulnerable. "Go to sleep Blondie, you're safe."

Her lids drooped further, "Gee thanks, Ace, you're a pal."

And so they made their way onto the Falcon, with a sleeping Opie in Ace's arms.

Antilles laid her on a sleep couch, "She needs to go to the medicenter right away."

"She must have unconsciously put herself in a trance," Jacen answered.

Ben shook his head, "No, I put her in it." The others stared at him, "What? I don't like my sister being in pain. It's not like I kissed her or anything."

"Oh please don't go there," Ivy, who had overheard her only son, groaned.

"Yes please!" The twins said together.

It was at this point Luke entered the room, "What's this all about?"

"Believe me Luke, you don't wanna know."

**Hello again! I finally got done with this! I think this is probably my favorite chapter by far. It has action; it has budding romance, humor. I just love it! Please though, read and review I greatly appreciate it!**


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